Forum Panel Discussion
November 2, 2021 // Tuesday, 6:30 pm
Virtual Event by Zoom
Free and Open to the Public –
Advance Registration Required – Register HERE
The North Texas Region is confronting a range of issues such as pollution, aging infrastructure, housing diversity, environmental responsiveness, climate change, and rapid population growth. This panel will take up initiatives and ideas local thought leaders are working towards to leverage the metroplex as a case study for a more resilient and sustainable built environment. The panel will also build on UTA CAPPA’s work for the Venice Biennale focusing on Watershed Urbanism. The panel will examine how architects, planners, landscape architects, and policymakers can work towards a more unified set of solutions for the future of North Texas.
Brad BELL; Director, School of Architecture, UTA CAPPA
Brad Bell is the Director of the School of Architecture and an Associate Professor at The University of Texas at Arlington. Since 2014 he has also directed the Digital Architecture Research Consortium (DARC) at UT Arlington, which is a group of industry and academic partners working on the integration of advanced digital technologies and material applications into innovative building solutions. In 2015 Professor Bell was awarded the UT Arlington President’s Medal for Teaching Excellence and in 2020 he was awarded the Texas Society of Architects Award for Outstanding Educational Contribution in Honor of Edward J. Romieniec FAIA. Brad serves on the Boards of AIA Dallas and AIA Fort Worth. He is also a Board Member and Chair of the Lecture Programming Committee for The Dallas Architecture Forum.
Panelists:
Kay CURTIS; Architect and Design Fellowship Team, HKS
Kay Curtis is an architect in HKS’ hospitality practice, with experience also in healthcare. Kay has worked on research studying the global pandemic impact on the hospitality industry. She currently is part of the team that leads the HKS internal thought leadership Design Fellowship. Her team’s work in the 2019 program is currently on exhibit at the Venice Biennale through the European Cultural Council’s collaboration with UNESCO Chair of Water and Human Settlements, Dean Adrian Parr. Kay’s exploration of watershed urbanism along the Trinity River reimagined critical water infrastructure as a development and community catalyst in southern Dallas. This initial exploration led her to advocacy work to rehabilitate Shingle Mountain, a former illegal dump site that fed pollutants into the Trinity River and nearby homes, into a community park.
Mark MEYER; Principal and Board Chair, TBG
A Principal in TBG’s Dallas office, Mark has more than 20 years’ professional experience encompassing all aspects of landscape architecture and planning. He serves as Chairman of TBG’s Board of Directors, providing strategic guidance to continuously elevate all aspects of TBG’s practice and corporate culture. Mark’s diverse experience includes several projects throughout North Texas including Five Mile Creek Urban Greenbelt in Dallas, Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza in Burleson, Play Grand Adventures in Grand Prairie and Hometown in North Richland Hills. He also greatly values the charrette process and the power of hands-on, multidisciplinary teamwork to deliver extraordinary project solutions. Mark is an experienced facilitator at guiding large stakeholder groups toward a shared vision and he frequently leads multiday creative planning workshops to jumpstart the design process.
Ron STELMARSKI; Design Director and Principal, Perkins & Will
Ron received a Master of Architecture from Yale University and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Cincinnati. Recent projects include The Pittman Hotel, the Baylor Scott & White Health Administration Center, Lubbock City Hall, Singing Hills Recreation Center, and the Fair Park Master Plan Update. Ron believes architecture is the hinge connecting people and place across time. His inventive work interprets culture and context, elevating the public realm and galvanizing communities with architecture of enduring aesthetic, environmental, and social value. He finds the exceptional in the everyday, bringing dignity and excitement to typically utilitarian building typologies.
Meghna TARE; Chief Sustainability Officer, UTA
As UT Arlington’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, Meghna Tare works collaboratively to foster partnerships among academic, research, and operational departments at UT Arlington, and to address opportunities to promote sustainability in several areas including energy efficiency, transportation, education, outreach, and community engagement. She launched the Regional Center of Expertise for Education in Sustainable Development Goals in North Texas, a program of the United Nations University, and the Institute for Sustainability and Global Impact at UT Arlington. She holds an MBA in Sustainable Management, MS in Environmental Science, and MS in Chemistry. Meghna represents UTA on several Advisory Boards including the National Academy of Science Board on Higher Education, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, and the Board of Directors for International Council for Local Environmental Initiative.